TAIERI RIVER TRUST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21996, 4 July 1933, Page 16

TAIERI RIVER TRUST

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Taieri River Trust was held at Mosgiel yesterday. Cr T. M. Ball (chairman) presided, and Crs W. J. Marshall, H. W. Wilson, T. P. Hackett, F. Johnson, J. Dow, C. Findlay, and K. B. Tennent were pi'esent. REPORTS. !

Mr W. Munro, inspector of works, reported as follows for the month: —Mr Muuro’s gang had widened 57 chains of Lee Creek. The bridge on “B ” drain road had been dismantled .and the cut had been tilled. Fifty-five chains on Kirk’s drain had been shovelled out. Three new planks had been inserted in_ the bridge on the Otokia road over Kirk’s drain and one plank in the bridge at Mrs Kirk’s property. Weeds had been cleaned out of Lee Creek from Mr Marshall’s to the Otokia road. The approach to the bridge over the new cut at “ C ” drain had been fenced. Mr Marshall’s gang had been occupied in cleaning 50 chains of grass out of Lee Creek and in deepening and widening 40 chains of the creek. The drain from Lee Creek to Mr Thomson’s orchard (25 chains) had been cleaned. In Wyllie’s Creek diversion nine chains of the cut had been deepened and 15 chains had been dragged. The pipes under the channel at Mr Reid’s had been cleaned out. Three new planks had been inserted in the contour bridge at Mr Harvey’s property. The banks had received the customary attention. The inspector recommended, with regard to the survey- of the trust’s land, that a line be cleared along the boundary, as there were several different angles on the line and the ground was very rough alongside a number of the pegs. —The report was adopted. The .Works Committee tabled the following report:— “We inspected Waldron’s, Hamilton’s, and Brewner’s drain in Lee Creek block. This drain wants widening to at least 3(t in bottom. There is also a culvert in this drain which is in good order, but the pipes are too small, there being only two 6in pipes side by side. These would want to be at least 2ft. We had a look at bank of, contour at Marshall’s, but could find no cracks visible of any danger, but banks want trimming and sowing when men are available. There is some subsiding in the contour bank at_ M’Kenzie’s, where service pipe was inserted. I gave instructions to Foreman Marshall to have this fixed up. We also met Mr A. Ross on the ground at contour bank regarding the spillway, and made satisfactory arrangements. We met Morrison and W. Bremner regarding their drainage applied for, and after some discussion decided to report the matter back to the trust. Some repairs are necessary on Poplar drain, Berkley Estate, which was left to Marshall and Wilson ;to authorise the foreman to attend to. During inspection we found some of the artesian wells want controlling which are running into the ditches and causing extra disadvantage in cleaning and keeping drains in order. The top gang is still in Lee Creek and has still over a mile to do. The bottom gang has shifted into Kirk’s drains. The Upper Duck Creek wants dragging as soon as men are available. The contractor is finished cutting broom and gorse on contour, and this would be better burnt as there would be a lot go down the channel in the event of a flood and it would pile up against the bridges. The bridge over contour at the "Corner of Lee Creek road at Harvey’s requires some new lOin planks.” The trust adopted the report, with the following decisions; —That the trust procure 24-inch pipes and put in same in place of the small pipes in the crossing over the drain serving Messrs Waldron, Bremner, and Hamilton. That no action be taken in regard to drainage for Messrs Morrison and Bremner. That owners ot stock-supply pipes under the contour channel, along, with those using artesian wells, be asked to control same. That the Works Committee he instructed to have pipes inserted in Taylor’s crossing, on the Otokia-Maungatua road, the same size as the pipes in the crossing at the manse corner. v CORRESPONDENCE. The Blazer Firewood Company, South Dunedin, applied for permission to cut willows on the river bank from the Otokia Railway Station to the river bridge. —Request declined. D. Brett Shand, Sehvyn street, 1 imam, advised that the matter of easements for drainage purposes was_ being considered, and the trust would be advised in due course.—-Received. Messrs Cook, Lemon, and Look (Dunedin) notified the trust that the trustees of the Shands estate had no power to dispose of any part of their lands \o\ either road purposes or drainage easements without adequate compensations. They ‘suggested (postponement ot tne acquisition of the lands in the meantime until the necessity for the suggested drainage schemes arose.—ihe trust avoided to recommend to the Public FVoikfi Department to grant exeniption provided no buildings be erected within 3d feet of the centre of the Toad line. , W Bell, West Taieri, wrote on behalf of fellow-workers on drainage works lor the trust, asking . that the concession ot ceasing work half- an hour early during the two winter months he restored.—neCG The’ Unemployment Commissioner, Wellington, notified the trust that it regretted it could not assist the trust m transporting relief workers on drainage works on the trust’s drams. Received. J A. Sinclair, Maungatua R.D., notified’the trust that he was being rated for four acres of land taken for the Loutoui Channel. —Received. . Messrs Webb, Allan, Walker, and Anderson, solicitors, Dunedin, forwarded a letter in connection with a compensation claim by Mr T. D. Heenan.—The trust to inform the writers that it could not see its way clear to alter its offer. Messrs Duncan and MacGregor, solicitors, Dunedin, wrote reporting on the judge’s decision in the classification appeals and detailing the reductions affected—Received. . . ' Two letters were received m connection with the notice of motion passed at the trust’s June meeting which proposed that a drain serving Messrs John Sutherland, A. P. and T. H. R; Fleming, be made a schedule drain provided it be continued to serve Mrs E. J. Walkers property. Mr John Sutherland stated that he did not wish to be associated with such a scheme. Mr A. P. Fleming asked that the portion of the drain to be made to Mrs Walker’s be exchanged for a similar amount to gi' - e the latter’s property drainage into either the Olokia-Maunga-tua drain or the main drain. Mr hlcming stated that his previous letter asked for drainage only for the low area.— After discussion, the motion, due notice of which had been given, that the drain through Messrs J. Sutherland. A. P. and T. H. R, Fleming’s properties be made a schedule drain, provided it was continued to give Mrs Walker's farm drainage. was put to the meeting and was lost. DEPUTATION. Mr A, J. Spencer, Berwick, appeared before the trust with regard to the rating of his property on the Waipori side of die Contour channel. He required definite information in connection' with a certain claim. —The trust decided to amend the classification list to include Messrs Spencer’s and Crossan’s properties, and to complete drains to within a chain of the boundary. Mr Marshall was appointed classifier for the work. RATES. Considerable discussion was given to the estimates for the current'year. These were finally approved as altered ‘by the meeting. A motion to give notice to levy the rates was then passed. The administrative rate was fixed at one shilling per acre, and the drainage rate at one shilling and ten pence per acre. This represents a reduction in the total of these two rates of eightpence per aerg. ft was stated during (lie discussion that the reduction in the total of these rates would have been larger hut for the amount, of legal expenses to be paid during the year arising mainly out of the expense of the recent Royal Commission oil Taieri drainage rates. GENERAL.

The secrotarv reported in detail on the list of rates outstanding. Mr Wilson mentioned the position of (hose settlers outside the protection bank between Henley and Otokia in regard to rating for pumping.—The trust resolved to continue the necessary pumping till next meeting.